‘If you're not happy, go back to Ukraine': Ukrainians describe poor living conditions

International Protection Office Dublin

THE LIVING CONDITIONS in a third of accommodation centres have been deemed “poor” by Ukrainian people staying in them.

A new report by human rights organisation Doras shows that 10% of temporary protection applicants surveyed had concerns about gender-based violence in their accommodation, and one in six had concerns for their child’s safety.

Doras received accounts of people going without heating and hot water for months, while several reported mouldy and damp accommodation.

There were also complaints about the food, with 60% of people rating the quality of meals provided as very poor or poor.

Undercooked or rotten food was reported in two centres, while cases of food poisoning were reported in three centres.

Additionally, worms and maggots were found in the food in one centre.

Rats and mice were a problem in six different centres.

When Ukrainian people staying in these centres had issues that merited complaints, a third of them said their centre had no complaints process.

One said that they were told by staff at their accommodation centre, “If you are not happy, go back to Ukraine.”

The people were often physically cut off from towns and communities due to a lack of transport links, with 43 centres having no accessible public transport nearby.

One in four said people with additional needs did not have appropriate accommodation or adequate supports.

John Lannon, Doras CEO, said this “institutionalised living” can negatively affect the mental and physical health of adults and children.

“Our new research on the experiences of Ukrainians living in State-provided accommodation paint a worrying, but not surprising, picture,” he said.

“While a significant portion of those surveyed were very happy with their living conditions, we can see from the findings that the quality of service provision varies greatly from centre to centre.”

One Ukrainian person told Doras that they are “very sick” and have been living in one room with six other people for a year, while another said they shared a bedroom with nine people.

Many expressed their gratitude to Ireland, but couldn’t deny the difficult conditions they live in.

Some worry about their children: “Children are constantly sick, I am not sure about the sanitary condition of the hotel and the food provided.”

One said there is a “stench of urine” in the accommodation, as well as mould and “wet beds”.

Lannon added: ”It’s important to also note that some providers are doing a very good job, and this is reflected in the survey.

“There’s also a lot of gratitude and appreciation from the Ukrainians towards Irish people, volunteers and communities that are supporting them. And that’s why we urgently need national standards to help ensure consistency in the quality of service provided.”

Doras is calling on the Department of Integration to implement mandatory compliance with the Children First Act 2015 to safeguard children and mandatory Garda vetting for all staff working in centres.

The organisation also wants to see staff trained in trauma-informed practice and intercultural awareness.